Needle for necktie sewing machine



INVENTOR /l//x A/l. NE WMA/v @w mm @n Nw x man QW ATTORNEY S 1 -in H H Jan. 7, 1964 M` M. NEWMAN NEEDLE FOR NECKTIE SEWING MACHINE Filed May 5l, 1962 United States Patent Otiice Patented dan. i?, i964 ariege? NEEDLE EUR NECK'EE SEWNG MCHNE Max M. Newman, i936 Loring Place, Bronx, NY. rires May si, i962, ser. No. isses@ l Claim. (Cl. mi2-$74) This invention relates generally to improvements in sewing mechanisms, and is especially concerned with necktie-sewing machines of the type shown in U.S. Patent No, 2,598,009;

ln devices of the type shown in said patent, a pair of rotary endless members have facingy runs and are provided with transverse ribs or crimpers which mesh or interdigitate when on the facing runs, so that a fabric fed between the endless members is corrugated or pleated by the crimpers. All of the crimpers are provided with aligned cu-touts or recesses which combine to define a longitudine, passageway between the intermeshing crimpers on tbe facing runs. A sewing needle extends longitudinally between the facing runs, being loosely received in the recesses of the crimp-ers for endwise engagement through a pleated fabric. rEhe needle is mounted for limited endwise shifting in the passageway of the recesses, havin r its piercing end retractable to a position between the facingy runs for piercing engagement through a pleated fabric, and extendable beyond the facing runs for removal rof a fabric with stitching therein.

While devices of this type have been producing entirely satisfactory results in accurately simulating hand-stitched neck-wear, some difficulty has been experienced in relatively short needle life. lt has been discovered that needle life is effectively shortened by bending of the needle under the strains imposed thereon, especially upon reciprocation or shifting of the needle.

Accordingly, it is an important object `of the present invention to provide an extremely simple and entirely unique means for effectively increasing needle life in neclitie-sewing machines of the type described and to considerably reduce down time and production costs.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a highly improved construction in neckwear-sewing machinery wherein needle life may be prolonged, and moreover wherein a needle portion engaging through the fabric may be of the same or smaller diameter without adversely affecting needle wear.

lt is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved needle construction in necliwearsewing apparatus 'wherein a needle is reinforced or stiffened at a location which does not engage through or pierce a abri?, so as to not adversely affect the stitching of the fabric, and which reinforcement serves to effectively deter needle wear by bending.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exeinplied in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claim.

ln the drawings:

lili?. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing necltie-sewing apparatus;

HG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view, somewhat enlarged, showing the improvement of the instant invention;

PEG. 3 is a perspective view showing a needle of the instant apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; and

lilG. 4 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view showing the needle of F-lG. 3 in greater detail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FlG. l thereof, the apparatus there generally designated lo may be similar to that shown in Fi". l of Patent No. 2,698,969, and may be mounted on a bench, or other suitable support (not shown). An upstandlng plate is generally designated lll and rotatably supports a pair of horizontally elongate lower and upper endless members or belts l?. and i3. In particular, the lower endless member is mounted for rotation about a pair of generally horizontal, spaced rolls llland l5 respectively journaled by shafts i6 and l, which may be supported at their ends in plate l1 and an additional support means (removed for clarity of illustration).

Similarly, the upper endless belt i3 may be mounted on a pair of horizontally spaced rollers i9 and 2li, which are carried rotatably by shafts 2l and 22, respectively, suitably jo-urnaled in the plate il and other suitable journaling means.

As best seen in FG. l, the lower endless member l2 has a generally horizontal upper iiig` t or run 2d, and the upper endless member i3 has a lower horizontal flight or run '25; and, the runs 2d and Z5 are disposed in longitudinally extending, superposed facing relation with respect to each other.

ln addition, a plurality of ribs or erirnpers Z7 are carried by the endless member or belt l2, extending transversely across the outer face thereof and arranged in spaced relation peripherally thereabout. A similar series of ribs or crimpers 2S are `carried by the upper elt i3 on the outer face thereof extending transversely thereaeross and spaced peripherally thereabout. rthe spacing and phasing of the crimpers 27 an '2li is such that they move into mesh or interdigitated relation, and remain in such relation `during movement along the facing runs 2d and 25.

Formed in each crimper or rib 27, laterally nrcdially of the endless member l2, is outwardly opening notch, cutout or recess 3d. The recesses fill of the several crirnpcrs 27 are in ignment with each other circumferentially about the endless member l2. Similarly, each transverse rib or cri-mper 2S is formed with an outwardly opening notch, cutout or recess 3l, wl'xich recesses are located laterally mediaily of the endless member i3 and in alignment thereabout longitudinally thereof. Further, the recesses .lil and El are ail in substantially coplanar alignment, so as to lie in the same generally vertical plane. By this arrangement, the recesses on the upper stretch or run Z4 of endless member i2, and the recesses 3l on the lower stretch or run of upper endless member i3 are all in alignment with each other to define a passageway or opening, extending longitudinally of and between the facing runs.

As seen in FlG. l, a fabric guide 3d is fixed to the plate lll for guiding fabric into and out of the nip region between rolls l5 and Ztl.

A sewing needle, generally designated 35, extends longitudinally between the facing runs 24 and 2S, being loosely received in the aligned recesses 3@ and 3l, while a. thread guide 36 may be carried by the plate ll (at the left-hand side thereof as seen in IlG. l) to pass thread 37 between the rolls ftd and i9 for extension along the needle 3S through the passageway defined by the aligned recesses Sil and 3l of interrneshing crirnpers 2'/ and Z3.

The needle 35 is loosely received in the aligned recesses of meshing crimpers 27 and 2g, having its piercing or engaging end 39 free and provided with an eye or hole dil for receiving the free end of thread 37.

The piercing end region 39 of the needle 35 may be attened and pointed, as seen in FlGS. 2 and 3, for ease of penetration through a fabric. The needle portion di, extending leftward in the drawings from the piercing end 39, is advantageously of a minimum diameter to facilitate engagement through a fabric. rthis portion 41 ma' be of constant diameter and is referred to hereinafter as the engaging portion of the needle 3S. Leftward beyond the engaging portion 421, the needle 35 is provided with a stiffening means 42, which may be in the nature of a thickened portion of greater diameter, which may extend to the leftward end region and there be hooked, as at 43.

The needle is shown in greater detail in FlG. 4, wherein it is seen that the thickened portion or stiffening means d2 includes a tubular part or sleeve engaged about and receiving an extension 51 of the engaging portion lil. Specically, the extension Sl may be of a constant diameter equal to that of the engaging portion lll, and may be snugly engaged in the stiffening sleeve S2 throughout the entire length thereof. In addition to snug engagement of the extension 51 in the sleeve 42, the assembly is further secured together by the U-shaped bend 43, wherein both the terminal region of the sleeve 42 and its contained extension portion are bent. This construction lends itself to quick and easy assembly out of readily available components and serves to effectively lock the components together while greatly enhancing their strength, as well as durability and useful life of the entire needle.

The needle 35 is mounted in the aligned recesses 30 and 3i of facing runs 24 and 25 for longitudinal shifting Or axial reciprocation by mounting means, generally designated 45, which may be fixed to the plate lll and connected to the needle end region 43. In particular, the mounting means 45 may include an elongate guide or slideway 46 fixed in alignment with the aligned recesses 30 and 3l of the meshing crimpers 27 and 28. A slide 49 is located in the slideway 46 and freely slidable longitudinally therealong between the end walls 47 and 4S. Detachably secured to the slide 47 is the hooked end 43 0f needle 35, while the thickened or stiffened needle portion l2 extends slidably through the proximate end wall 48.

In operation, the above-described apparatus is substantially the same as that of Patent No. 2,098,009. The upper endless member i3 initially rotates clockwise, while the lower endless member ft2 is rotating counterclockwise, and a fabric to be sewn is fed leftward between the facing runs 24 and 25. The needle 35 is retracted leftward by leftward movement of the facing runs 24 and 25 so that the piercing needle end 39 is between the facing runs. ln this condition, the fabric fed between the facing runs is automatically pleated or crimped by passing successively over and under respective crimpers 27 and 23, and is also pierced by the needle end 39. In its crimped and pierced condition, the fabric moves leftward with the facing runs 24% and 25, being penetrated by the engaging portion 41 of the needle. However, before the fabric comes to the stiffened, or thickened needle portion d2, rotation of the endless members l2. and E3 is stopped and reversed. This effects immediate rightward shifting of the needle 35 t0 its illustrated position of l with the pointed eye region projecting beyond the facing runs and The fabric, together with the thread 39 stitched through the fabric, may then be simultaneously removed from between the endless members l2 and is and the needle 3S.

Gf course, the above-described cycle of operation is repeated, as desired* it is important to observo that the portion of needle 35 having most tendency to bend is thc leftward region, which bending is effectively prevented by the reinforcing thickening 42. Further, while the reinforced region 42 may extend between the facing runs 24 and 25, as shown in the projected needle position of FIG. 2, with the possibility of bending substantially eliminated, the reinforced portion is withdrawn from between the facing runs upon retraction of the needle so as not to interfere with stitching of the fabric by penetration therethrough of the engaging needle portion 4l. indeed, advantage may be taken of this unique needle construction to form the engaging needle portion of smaller diameter, if desired.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a neclttie-sewng mechanism which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been describcd in some detail by v ay of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the apL ended claim.

What is claimed is:

Needle assembly for a sewing mechanism of the type described having a pair of rotary endless members having facing runs with front and rear ends, and a series of crimpers arranged about each endless member and in intcrmeshing relation when on said facing runs for pleating a fabric between the intermeshing crimpcrs, said crmpers having recesses in alignment with each other when said crimpers intermesh;

said needle assembly comprising a longitudinally cxtending, elongate, tubular guide having front and rear end walls and located rearwardly of said endless members and aligned with said recesses, a slide in said guide and freely longitudinally slidable therein between said end walls, an elongate needle having a thread eye at its front end and extending loosely through said aligned recesses for stitching a pleated fabric, a stifening sleeve fixedly and snugly mounted upon said needle and extending from the rear end thereof to a point intermediate the ends of said needle, said front end wall having a through bore through which said sleeve extends slidably, and means for attaching the rear end portion of said sleeve to said slide whereby said needle may be moved longitudinally in unison with said slide between the limit positions of said slide, said sleeve extending loosely into the rear aligned recesses in the forward limit position of said slide but being of a length to be substantially clear of said recesses in the rear limit position of said slide and being then clear of fabric pleated by said crimpers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNKTED STATES PATENTS 

